In August, 1998 I attended SAMONAS (Spectral Activated Music of Optimal Natural Structure) Sound Therapy Training in Ogden, Utah sponsored by The National Academy of Child Development. Ingo Steinbach, a German physicist, sound engineer, and musician, created the treatment after years of studying the work of Alfred Tomatis. Dr. Tomatis, a French physician, filtered music through an Electronic Ear beginning in the 1950's. This program, currently administered in over 200 Tomatis centers worldwide, was the inspiration for Steinbach's technology. Four Tomatis specialists along with several occupational therapists, special education teachers, and music therapists attended the training led by Ingo Steinbach.

Tomatis showed that there is a close inference between the psychology of a person and the voice. In his book, "The Conscious Ear", he describes the effects of his method for treating developmental disturbances, social and postural problems, voice and speech difficulties in children and young people. The Tomatis method is based on the effect of filtered sounds on the ear, primarily using classical music and the human voice. Patricia Joudry, author and client of the Tomatis method, produced cassette tapes of the Tomatis filtered sounds and listened to the sounds carrying a portable cassette player. Apart from improved hearing she had more energy, was more cheerful, and needed less sleep.

Through Ingo Steinbach's research he discovered that the high frequency tones above 15,000 Hz were more therapeutic because they forced the brain to function at a higher level. The ear can only detect frequencies up to 15,000 Hz but frequencies above that can be detected by the brain. Ingo discovered that Joudry's method would only transmit 12 or 13, 000 Hz thus limiting the therapeutic value of the filtering process of tones. He's been able to develop filtering equipment that can transpose the high frequencies onto compact discs and greatly enhance the therapeutic value that Tomatis and Joudry discovered.

Alex Doman of the National Academy of Child Development, the first clinician in the United States to administer this latest technology, is very excited about the results. They have administered the SAMONAS programs with 1,500 kids and adults over a two year period. They have seen tremendous results with clients struggling with speech and voice problems, perceptual disturbances, problems with lateral organization, learning difficulties, anxiety problems, problems with autonomic nervous system, impaired hearing and deafness, Tinnitus, concentration, memory. They see several kids suffering from autism, Downs Syndrome, and all kinds of developmental delays with wonderful results.

The Attachment Center at Evergreen can now integrate the neurodevelopmental treatment protocols of NACD and Sound Therapy with children suffering from Attachment Disorder. It's exciting because it's cost effective and could possibly fill the neurological deficits of the kids we see.

© The Attachment Center at Evergreen

Credits: by Forrest Lien, M.S.W.-Clinical Director at ACE